Continuous outlet receptacle



. May 16, 1933. Y I L `s, BROOKS 1,908,888

CONT INUOUS OUTLET REGEP'IACLEy Filed June 18. 1929 l l 4 a l u a Patented .May 16, i933 Lnitoir s. Janooizs, or

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA i CONTINUOUS OUTLET RECEPTACLE Application filed rune 18,

The invention relates to continuous outlet receptacles simulating finishing or moldmg strips for baseboar-ds, so that the outlet device may 'be applied as an integral part ofv the molding trim and at the same time af ford means for making multiple electrical connections by means of most of the standard plug connectors, thereby avoldingl the necessity of cutting the baseboard of a room 0 orv apartment, or mutilating the wall str ucture other than to provide a single opening for a standard wall box or condulet to receive the end of the supply cable or the conductor wires furnishing the current.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which ig. l is a perspective viewof the outlet device, with oneend thereofin section, the

device being lshown as applied to the baseboard or wash-board of a room or apartment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly broken away. Y l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of a conductor strip.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates the base of the continuous outlet receptacle, which base is formed as an elongated 'strip of insulating material, such as bakelite, which strip may be provided with a beveled front face, in which is formedtwo parallel longitudinal grooves 2, 2', preferably coexten- 5 sive with the length of the strip, and an outwardly projecting tongue 3 between the grooves to constitute a barrier between. the

contacts mounted in the grooves. The contacts 4, 4 are preferably of the form illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, each consisting of a strip of copper or copper alloy bent to substantially U-shape, with the free edges turned inward to form spring jaws to be engaged bythe tinesl or legs of any standard connector-plug, the base portion of' the U-shaped strip being flat tol engagethe bottom of the corresponding groove. Each' contact strip is secured in the corresponding groove by means of bolts engaging registering -openings in the bottoms of the contact strips and in the base 1, at appropriate interover the leas.l serial No. 371,768.

vals. Two of the connecting bolts, such as 5v, 5, pass through the base l and are provided with lock nuts and Washers whereby the supply wires-may be connected to the conductor strips, said bolts, therefore, constituting terminal connectors for the` respective strips. To facilitate the insertion of the bolts in the openings'in the bottom of the strips,the latter may be provided with lateral openings; such as 9,' at proper intervals. The 60 terminal contactbolts 5, 5 may be located at I any point in the base, but are preferably applied near one end thereof, the other bolts for .securing the conductor strips in place,

preferably, being passed through appropriate openings in the bottom of the Contact strips and either tapped into threaded openings in the base or secured by nuts let in to countersunk openings in the back of the base.

In either case, the bolts do not extend entirely through the base, so that the openings in the base which are not occupied by the screws may be plugged with suitable insulating ce, ment.

is preferably made of a flexible insulating material, such, for example, as sheet bakelite, which is molded or otherwise formed to sim# ulate molding, which may correspond with the regular molding trim employed in the .so room or apartment, in which the outlet is y to be applied. Preferably, the cover extends top andV under the bottom of the base and may be secured to the top of the base by screws 7 land locked in engagement 85 with `the bottom of the base by means of an upwardly extending tongue 6 engaging al groove in the lower rear'marginal edge of the base. The front of the cover is provided with two series of parallel alignment with the contact strips 4 and 4, the slots in eachpseries being'separated'by narrow bridge pieces of ,uncut material,4 which preserve the necessary strength in the cover to prevent the same buckling, but which alsoadmit of the insertion of the legs or tines of a contact plug inl straddling relation with respect to the bridge pieces, `that is 'to' say, with one tine or leg of the plug entering the end of one slot 8 and the other leg entering l Associated with the bases 'a cover 6, which 75 slots Sand 8 in 90 conducting wires `pass.

the end of the next slot 8 in advance or to the rear of the slot 8.

The electrical connections to the continuous outlet receptacle are preferably made by way of a standard wall box or condulet 10, which is preferably secured to the base 1 bolts 11 or may, if desired, be secured directl to the wall structure or to the base or was -board, said wall box having the usual nipple .opening through which the cable or The outlet device may be ma'de in strips of any desired length to accommodate a number 'of vplug connectors, cover 6 may be designed to conform to the con ration of the molding strips usually applied to the wash-boards or baseboards of a room or apartment, so that the outlet will constitute a component part of or a continuation of the molding trim without, in any way, detracting from the appearance of the latter, as the slots in the cover are quite narrow and inconspicuous. Obviously, the multiple outlet may be applied to any -desired position and in any desired length on the top of the baseboard, either as an integral part of the molding trim of the latter or entirely `independent of any molding, so that any desired number of translating devices in the room or apartment may be connected with the electrical circuit by the usual standard cord and plug connectors.

. WhatI claim is A continuous outlet receptacle, comprising i an elongated base strip of insulating material, continuous parallel contact strlils mounted on and extending longitudin y thereof, and a cover o sheet insulation enclosing the front of the'base strip and having parallel 'slots interrupted at intervals by narrow bridge pieces, said slots being'in alignment with the contact strips.

In testimony whereof' aixi my signature.

LEROY S. BROOKS.

Lacasse and, as stated, the 

